Category Archives: Woodworking

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I waited until the last minute this year to make teacher gifts because I was wrapped up in the whole play production – which I will be posting more details on later!

These were very easy to make but they did require a visit to a local metal shop to have the metal cut. Each piece only cost a couple dollars though so very economical gift.

I’ll show the photos and then give a few details!

I wanted the area for posting pictures, etc. to end up at 5×7 so I added an extra 1/2” to account for the slot sawed in the 2×4.

I tipped the table saw blade to 10 degrees and turned the blade down so that it only cut 1/2” deep into the 2×4. I am not sure how close it was to the front, but there is quite a bit more board left in the back to help hold the weight of the steel up.

I ended up using 16 gauge metal which is a thicker, more heavy-weight sheet. I think I could’ve gotten away with lighter yet though tin was too thin (ask me how I know!) It was not a stainless so it didn’t have a nice silver finish so I had to cover it.

After spray painting the edge a matching beige, I used ModPodge to adhere the scrapbook paper to the metal. I also covered the backs with matching paper since that is the side that will most likely face the classroom from their desks! After attaching the magnets too early and having it rip some of the paper, I found it was not difficult to scrape off the paper with a razer blade. Hopefully it wears well, but if not, they can always change it out to something else!

I didn’t use any fancy boards – just some 2×4 off of pallets that I tore down. They are 8” wide. I painted the boards, added the lettering by pencil tranfer and a brown fine point sharpie, sanded and stained the edges and sealed with ModPodge. If I were to do it again, I would use a less shiny finish for the wood, but I didn’t have a matte finish at the time – and this was last minute!

I also made another one at the same time, but I had to give that one away the day before these so I didn’t have a chance to take a picture of it! I am the room mother for the 3rd and 4th graders so it was rather hectic getting ready for the classroom party the next day!

This was a really easy and quick project. I don’t know what I would do with the inspiration of the internet and all the creative people out there!

I am still rearranging my shelving situation in my kitchen after taking down some upper cabinets and making a narrow pallet pantry. I have decided to use the stairwell right off the kitchen that goes down to our unfinished basement. This is behind my chalkboard door.

I painted the dark paneled walls and ceiling in white making it much brighter. I did not get a good before picture so please bear with the one picture I found that shows a little bit of the stairwell!

As you can see – it was very dark!

Originally we added a single shelf 9” wide so that we could move the gun cabinet out of our bedroom closet (my husband is an avid hunter!) and set it just inside the door to the left. Then I decided that there would be a lot of storage if I added 1×6 shelves surrounding the gun cabinet. Then I painted it all white.

I didn’t really have a plan as far as distance between shelves. I used a couple of different sized cans to determine maximum and minimum distances.

And here is what it holds now!

This is the top 3 shelves. The shelf above the cabinet only has one bracket and it rests on top of the cabinet otherwise, every shelf has 2 brackets holding it.

Bottom shelves. The black garbage bag is holding my 24” wide jumbo roll of plastic wrap that I use to wrap large cakes. I can even store my 6 quart crockpot on the lower shelf.

Here is the view looking up the stairs.

I even have room on the bottom shelf for more! The other shelves have breathing room and I can see at a glance what I have and what I am low on! If I really get organized, I hope to label the shelves somehow so everything will have it’s place.

This is going to be really handy and it makes me happy every time I open the door!

You may be wondering what I am storing in my mini pallet pantry – I’ll have more on that later!

So – I took the shelf down, spray painted it and put it back up. The shelf is made from pallet wood, so the boards are quite rough. The texture held the black paint adding additional shadows which I like! It still needed something though. It looked too aloof and didn’t tie into the microwave shelf so I decided to paint a black stencil border along the front.

Then I decided I needed to add the same border in the white to the microwave shelf.

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About Me

Hi! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy looking around and maybe even be inspired as I have been by so many of the great bloggers out there! I am a SAHM of 2 boys. I have been married to the love of my life for over 14 years. Every year gets sweeter than the last! I dabble in many things: cake decorating, DIY, home decor, sewing, crocheting, wood working, gardening and more!